Secrets and the Scarlet Letter

â€Å"A secret between two is God's secret, between three is all men’s. †-Spanish Proverb. Secrets are not meant for being told. Usually everyone is supposed to take secrets â€Å"to their grave. † In certain circumstances, they must be told. Even though you’re thwarting your own honor by telling a secret, sometimes it must be done. In most cases, secrets should be kept, but in The Scarlet Letter, there are some that need to be told. There's nothing more powerful than finding someone safe to tell â€Å"the secret† to. No one knows how hard it is, unless they've been there. Your heart pounds, your body is rock rigid, you grind your teeth, your mouth is dry. You think of all the excuses to keep your mouth shut. They'll get mad. They'll laugh. They'll reject you. They'll treat it like it was nothing and tell you to forget about it. Or worse: they'll be polite, nod their head like they understand, leave and not ever have anything to do with you again. Even then, the depth of doubt, self-hate, fear and insecurity is so strong, that even after you tell even to someone who's been through it too you leave and wonder, did I say too much? Did I do the right thing? Will they hate me? Only experience lets you know your trust wasn't for nothing. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale all have secrets. They will do whatever they can to keep their secrets a secret. Except for Hester, whose secret has been made public by her wearing the scarlet letter A. Arthur Dimmesdale’s secret is the most lethal. He is keeping his secret to protect his reputation even though it’s eating away at him and keeping him from what he wants most; Hester. For example, in chapter 17 page 182, we are told that Dimmesdale’s secret has taken hold of his life and made him a miserable man. â€Å"There is no substance in it! It is cold and dead, and can do nothing for me! Of penance I have had enough! Of penitence there has been none! Else, I should long ago have thrown off these garments of mock holiness, and have shown myself to mankind as they will see me at the judgment-seat. Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret! Thou little knowest what a relief it is, after the torment of a seven years' cheat, to look into an eye that recognizes me for what I am! † Dimmesdale’s secret should be told because then he won’t feel so guilty and his shame and hypocrisy will not eat him alive. It also isn’t fair to Pearl that she has no father and won’t be able to have one because of Dimmesdale’s secret. She has no knowledge of him being her father because of what he had to do to protect his name. Girls should have a father figure in their lives, Pearl never had that opportunity. Roger Chillingworth also exhibits secrecy. He’s keeping his identity a secret because he wants to find out who Hester’s acquaintance was and he also wants to protect his high reputation as well. It isn’t right for him to keep his identity a secret because it’s putting other people in harm’s way which is a circumstance when secrets need to be told. The torture he’s doing to Dimmesdale isn’t dignified and un-puritan like. In chapter 14, Chillingworth says â€Å"I have left thee to the scarlet letter, if that have not avenged me I can do more! † This quote says that Chillingworth is willing to do more to Dimmesdale and make him suffer more which is making Chillingworth’s secret deeper because the more he does that Hester knows about, the more guilt she feels about keeping his identity a secret from Dimmesdale. His secret should be told because it goes against moral values of the puritans. In some cases, secrets shouldn’t be told. Those who keep a secret keep themselves moral. Keeping a secret and respecting the secrets of others, as opposed to prying into them, is a virtue of self discipline and sensitivity. The heart can be seen as a safe for keeping secrets. Intelligence is the lock, and will power is the key. Keeping secrets is important for your dignity, pride, and personal gain. In response to The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is the only one who knows the secrets that Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are hiding from the townsfolk. Hester has to control her desire to tell the truth and practices the art of deception to hide these secrets. When she will not reveal the father of Pearl, Reverend Dimmesdale says, â€Å"She will not speak. † It is ironic that the person who committed the sin with Hester is the one who announces publicly that she will not reveal the name of the other sinner. Later, Chillingworth wants to know who it is and he says, â€Å"Thou wilt not reveal his name? † Hester refuses and continues to hold her silence. Then, Chillingworth, still trying to find out the name of her lover, comments, â€Å". . . but Hester, the man lives who has wronged us both! Who is he? † When he says this, he is hinting that he is going to do something to Dimmesdale. This is why Hester makes Chillingworth promise not to kill her lover if he finds out his identity. Chillingworth deserves to know who slept with his wife, although Hester should not have had to tell him. I think that Dimmesdale should have admitted that he was Pearl's father. Today, if a priest admitted such a crime, he would probably be sent to jail. However, in the novel, had Dimmesdale confessed, the townsfolk would have liked him even more. Hester also has to live with, and conceal, the secret that Chillingworth is her husband. When he comes to visit her in jail he says, â€Å"Thou hast kept the secret of thy paramour. Keep, likewise, mine! There are none in this land that know me. Breathe not, to any soul, that thou didst ever call me husband. † Hester shows great strength of character by her ability to keep the secret identities of her lover and her husband. There must have been times when the temptation to reveal her secrets was overwhelming, but she managed to do so. There are times when secrets must stay secrets and times when they should be told. The Scarlet Letter is an allegory for secrets. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale’s secrets should be told because they’re doing things for the wrong reasons and hurting either themselves or those around them. It was right for Hester to keep secrets throughout the book because she was looking out for herself, Pearl, and Dimmesdale and would do anything to make sure they weren’t in harm’s way of Chillingworth’s wrath. When it comes to secrets, to each their own. With different situations comes different ways to handle the condition and decide whether or not a secret should be held in or expressed for the world to hear. In most cases, secrets should be kept, but in The Scarlet Letter, there are some that need to be told.

External factors affecting the fast food industry Essay

There are a number of external factors that have a deep impact on the sales and revenue earnings of the fast food chains. The changing demographics, shift in consumer taste and preference, eating habits, increase in cost of supplies and labor, economic condition of the geographical area in which the outlets are located – all these are some of the factors that affect the profitability of the business. Pricing strategy Families and individuals in the higher income group are most frequent visitors to the fast food restaurant. The disposable income plays an important role in determining consumerism in this sector. The prices on the menu card is not so important when it comes to catering to high disposable income group. But that restricts the customer base and may not be an ideal situation for the company. Today’s lifestyle has incorporated the fast food industry into its daily schedule. The Wendy’s or the McDonald’s have menu cards that suit the pocket of the low-income segment group too. Recently McDonald’s had introduced the Dollar Menu where all items cost $1 only. It was a runaway hit with the teenagers and youngsters. The variance in price has enabled McDonald’s to attract customers from all segments. In response to this pricing strategy Wendy’s and Burger King also introduced low priced meals to suit the pocket of all segments. Back Yard Burgers on the other hand have higher priced burgers at $3. 59. The premium priced menu card has not found acceptance with all consumer segments but the management does not want to compromise on the price of the products. It believes that in terms of quality of the food items the prices are reasonable. Back Yard Burgers wanted to distinguish itself from the cutthroat competition in the industry with premium quality products. The management strategy holds good in terms of quality and service but is it good enough for the survival of the company? A look at the sales figures for the past 3 years gives an indication of the sales and revenue trend. Consumer taste and preference The ever changing taste buds and increasing changes in lifestyle of the consumer has kept the fast food industry on their toes. Rising mobility, increasing number of women joining the workforce and hectic schedules leave very little time for a home cooked meal. The need for faster options in food and service was felt that led to the tremendous growth in the fast food industry. Quick serve burgers, pizzas and sandwiches accompanied by French fries and coke became the ideal meal for the average Americans. A diet rich in fat and sugar attracted the consumers in plenty. This resulted in obesity and a disease prone society. Diabetes, heart problems were some of the impacts that the cheesy diet had on the consumers. Lawsuits were filed against some major players in this field like McDonalds for the growing obesity among children and adolescents. This awakened the consumers of fast food and they realized the necessity for healthy alternatives. Health conscious consumers are more alert of what they eat and how it can affect them. The industry witnessed a radical change in consumer taste and preference. This brought about a sharp decline in revenues for the fast food industry. The fast food chain operators brought about a change in their strategy by adding salads, fruits, and soups to the menu cards. Low calorie burgers and sandwiches are offered in addition to the regular menu items. This offers the customers with choice to healthier meal options. Back Yard Burgers has also adapted to the changing consumer preference by adding nutritious salads and milkshakes to their menu card. Introduction of grilled charbroiled burgers that claim lesser fat and lower calories have attracted the consumer interest and taste. Healthier and tastier alternatives in food items prepared with fresh ingredients are the strategic point of Back Yard Burger’s customer service. This has not only earned it a good reputation among the loyal consumers who return for more of the great quality food and taste but has also strengthened its market position. But the fast food industry cannot ensure consumer loyalty since the interest of consumers is flickering. They always want to try something new and better variety of options in food that they consume. To serve the changing tastes of the consumer and maintain their interest the restaurant needs to constantly make changes to its menu card by adapting to their taste buds. Back Yard Burgers should keep this mind while formulating their operating strategy. With more fast food companies offering a wide range of products and services, Back Yard Burgers should also draft changes to its existing operating structure. One way of achieving this objective would be to combine the essential features of both fast food and full service restaurants. A menu card that features in a regular full service restaurant integrated with fast food service will work wonders for the company – boosting sales and revenue with an increasing consumer base. Event catering and home delivery service could also open newer avenues for the company.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Reflection - Essay Example Todd Gish states that people may call the city ugly, call it beautiful and even call it dysfunctional but no one should call it unplanned. This statement by Todd clearly states that the city never happened by accident but by will (Scott, 1996 et. al). Its extraordinariness and prudence are the primary causes of these doubts. Despite its awesomeness, uniqueness and spontaneous evolution, the city still remains planned. How are the parks and public spaces for Angelenos divided? And are the divisions useful and advantageous? The city of Los Angeles has neighborhood-based facilities that help attract visitors and paint a great image for the city and its people. The city’s division with parks is advantageous because it has led to openness and connection between private and public life. Thoughts of how density affects people positively are now put into action. Both the attitudes on the city inhabitants on living public lives and planners’ responsibility of articulating a compelling vision are taking place positively. Los Angelenos’ love and hate relationship with nature bases on the shape, policies and working of the Los Angeles city. The Angelinos have a way of expressing their own demise and love over the intricate and wonderful things. The subway, the traffic, the parks and public places are some of the concerns facing the love and hate. The Angelinos love their city for specific things and hate them for other specific things. The density or high population of the city results in traffic jam and overcrowding in metropolitan buses and other public transport vehicles. The love results in the safety provided by the city’s security and the presence of being around people. Is the nature a love or hate for the los Angelinos? The nature is both a love and hate for the city dwellers and people of the city of Los Angeles. The weather of the Los Angeles is constantly changing and very unpredictable. It varies from slightly chilled

Question 31 & 32 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question 31 & 32 - Essay Example This means that criminal activities take places because criminals have low control over themselves. Individuals have low control over themselves because they have been brought up in a poor manner and their attachment with their parents is even quite weak which elevates the chances of them getting into a criminal act. Hirshi and Gottfredson even state that individuals who have low control over themselves even indulge in actions that may not be considered criminal but are quite harmful, these actions include: alcohol and drug abuse, road accidents and pregnancies that are not wanted. The base of the general theory of crime is the elements of love, affection, involvement and belief. Individuals having low self control are those who are not committed to the norms and cultural values of their societies and they end up committing criminal act as they give preference to satisfaction over the norms and cultural values of their society. 2. The theory of Left Realism came into existence during 1970s and was created in response to the importance given to deviant behaviors conducted by those who are considered as elite of the society (Adler, 2010, p.205). Left Realism states that the people within the lower class experience day to day criminal activities conducted against them and they mainly experience street related crimes (Vito, 2006, p.232). According to Left realists, street crimes are caused because individuals are committers of these crimes are deprived from social and political participation. Another emerging perspective of criminology is peacemaking criminology; this ideology of criminology promotes fairness, nonviolent living and impartiality between the components of the society (Adler, 2010, p.206). According to peacemaking criminology, the current state of fighting crime and actions used to counter criminal activities can only lead to more

Advertising Shape Social Trends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Advertising Shape Social Trends - Essay Example The essay "Advertising Shape Social Trends" discusses how the technological development playing a role in the continuous development of advertising and promotional activities of companies across various sectors. From a general perspective, advertising is not only important to promote the offering of any company in front of their customer, but at the same time it is important for the organizations to established reasons in the mind of the customers regarding why their own product of services is better than that of the competitors. Another key point associated with the importance of the advertising is it â€Å"Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak†. It is an old thought associated with the advertising industry, but it still stands true. The most common goal of any advertising campaign is to sell the added benefits associated with any product or service. One can easily understand this concept associated with the advertising. Any individual can choose or purchase a number of soaps for them as there are many brands in this industry. To make any brand stand high above the rest in terms of attracting people’s eye organization need to focus on attractive as well as out of the box promotional activity. One such example is of Irish Spring. In their advertisement, they â€Å"claim not only freshness and cleanliness, but according to the woman from the ad, it's Manly, yes, but I like it, too, so it’s for both sexes. A company selling something knows you can probably get that something anywhere and you can get many versions of it".

Is it possible to overcome Euthyphro's Dilemma Explain Research Paper

Is it possible to overcome Euthyphro's Dilemma Explain - Research Paper Example From then onwards, the segregation of right and wrong started in this world. Socrates has once asked a difficult question to Euthyphro about morality or ethics. â€Å"Almost all the objections to theistic ethics can be thought to derive from the famous Euthyphro dilemma†(Bagget and Walls, p.4). In a conversation between Euthyphro and Socrates Euthyphro asserts that â€Å"holiness is what all the gods love, and unholiness is what they hate (Joyce, p.50). Socrates asked him a confusing question; "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?"  (Bagget and Walls, p.32). In other words, Euthyphro faced the dilemma of whether to define morality in terms of will of God, or it should be perceived as the actions of God. Plenty of theologian and philosophers struggled to explain or answer Euthyphro’s dilemma. This paper analyses the above question in a philosophical manner and explores the possibilities of over coming this dilemma. Before answering the question of morality, it is necessary to discuss something about God. No science or technology has yet succeeded in unveiling the mysteries surrounding life before birth and life after death. If the soul is the driving force behind human body, what happens to our soul after our death is often a confusing question. ... For example, a computer or robot cannot work properly without instructions from humans even though it may have superior abilities. In other words, computers or robots may never become superior to humans. Same way God is always superior to us because of his superior power and abilities which are beyond the grasping power of humans. Now come to the question; Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?. The answer should be the first one. Even though God knows everything happening in this world, he is not interfering in all things happening on earth. Bible and Quran have references about the existences of evil forces in this world. Many people have the doubt that if God is a holy entity, then why he permitted the interactions of evil forces in this world which is created by God. The evil forces always try to increase their strength by forcing people to commit sins in order to question the authorities of God. On the othe r hand, God has no necessities to strengthen his kingdom with the help of external forces since no external forces can challenge his supremacy ever. The evil forces are making a desperate effort to challenge God’s supremacy. God sent the human to this world with a mission. He wanted only the right people in his eternal kingdom. Earth is a laboratory for God in which the reactants like humans and evil forces interact each other. These interactions will create certain products, which may be analyzed by the God later. Those who succeeded in defeating the efforts of evil forces may join God in his kingdom, whereas others will be destroyed in this world itself. In order to conduct his testing process successfully, God allows evil forces to make their own efforts to

Dieting Programs and Theories ( argument paper) Research Paper

Dieting Programs and Theories ( argument ) - Research Paper Example In this effect, the earth’s atmosphere functions like the glass pane of a greenhouse. It permits some solar radiation to reach the earth. The earth absorbs this energy which is transformed into heat. This heat is then reflected back into space. However, the atmosphere contains heat absorbing gases, such as CO2, water vapor, methane and nitrous oxide, which trap this out-going energy and form a blanket to keep the earth warm and habitable. In recent decades, there is an unnatural, growing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leading to a rise in the average temperature of the earth (Environmental Protection Agency web site). Contrary to what skeptics claim, Global Warming is real and it is man-made. Skeptics argue that there is no abnormal rise in the earth’s surface temperature. They claim that temperature variations are merely a part of the natural cycle of the earth. This is refuted by scientific evidence. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), constituted of reputed scientists from 113 countries, states in its report of February 2007 that the â€Å"Average Northern Hemisphere temperatures during the second half of the 20th century were --- the highest in at least the past 1300 years† (IPCC, 30). The report documents irrefutable, scientific evidence of the widespread increases in global average air and ocean temperatures. In the last fifty years of the twentieth century, hot days and nights have become more frequent over land areas. There is a rapid melting of glaciers and sea ice leading to an average increase of 3.1 mm/year in the global sea level since 1993. Areas under drought conditions have increased. There are pronou nced changes in natural ecosystems, and in seasonal events, such as the early greening of flora, and bird migration. The bleaching and disintegration of coral reefs demonstrates the rises in the surface